Hwang Kyo-ik on Im Young-woong Impeachment Controversy: "May Sound Like Insulting Protest Citizens"

"However, forcing political expression is also not right"

Food columnist Hwang Kyo-ik pointed out regarding the controversy over 'Trot Hero' Lim Young-woong posting daily life photos amid the impeachment political situation, "Saying that only politicians can raise political voices can be heard as an insult to citizens who came out to the square in the cold weather to express their political opinions, as if saying 'You are not politicians either.'"

On the 8th, Hwang opened his Facebook post saying, "'Am I a politician? Why should I raise my voice?' It is freedom not to make political statements." This was aimed at the controversy that Lim Young-woong sent a message saying "Am I a politician? Why should I raise my voice?" to netizens protesting his Instagram post celebrating the birthday of his pet dog Siwol the day before the vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol was blocked.

A conversation screenshot shared by a netizen claiming it to be a DM (direct message) exchanged with singer Lim Young-woong. Screenshot from Lim Young-woong's Instagram and online community.

Hwang said, "In a democratic republic, all citizens have the right to make political statements," but added, "That does not mean all citizens must make political statements. If expressing political opinions is burdensome, it is better not to say anything about it. Ordinary entertainers in Korea live that way, and I do not think this attitude is ethically wrong."

At the same time, Hwang Kyo-ik said, "I also think it is ethically wrong to force people who do not express political opinions to express them," adding, "To live as citizens of a democratic republic, we must observe that level of courtesy toward each other."

Hwang Kyo-ik, Food Columnist. Yonhap News Agency

Earlier, Lim Young-woong posted on his Instagram celebrating the birthday of his pet dog Siwol. A netizen who saw this shared a photo claiming to have sent Lim a DM (direct message), which became problematic. In the photo shared by the netizen, said to be a DM exchange with Lim Young-woong, the netizen asked, "What are you doing in this situation?" and a person presumed to be Lim replied, "What?"

When the netizen asked again, "The whole nation is gathered over the impeachment motion against the president who declared martial law unconstitutionally. I don't expect you to raise your voice, but this is really insensitive. Aren't people in the age group who experienced martial law your main consumer base?" the person presumed to be Lim replied, "Am I a politician? Why should I raise my voice?" The netizen also claimed that Lim blocked his Instagram account.

However, it has not been confirmed whether the DM was actually sent by Lim Young-woong or if the post was fabricated or manipulated. Lim Young-woong's agency, Mulgogi Music, has not issued a statement regarding this matter.

At the time when the vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol was scheduled, pro- and anti-impeachment rallies were held in various parts of Seoul. The National Assembly put the impeachment motion to a vote in the plenary session that day, but only 195 out of 300 members participated, resulting in a failure to meet the quorum, and the impeachment motion was automatically dismissed. The Democratic Party strongly criticized the People Power Party for not participating in the vote and announced that they would hold an extraordinary session on the 11th to re-push the impeachment.